1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for producing and playing media programs, and more particularly to a media program with selectable sub-segments.
2. Description of Related Art
The growth in new forms of digital media has led to numerous opportunities to change the method by which audio-visual and like productions are produced and played. Prior to the rise of digital media, analog media programs typically consisted of a continuous stream of audio-visual information sequentially recorded in a medium such as a photographic film or magnetic tape. To play such analog programs, the recording medium is sequentially scanned by a reading and/or projection device to recreate the recorded program in the intended display format, such as on a movie or television screen. All the elements of the recorded program are played in sequence according to the timing and sequence of the original recording. Analog media playing devices may possess relatively limited functions for altering the recorded timing and sequence of a program. For example, video cassette recorders (VCR's) typically have functions for altering a program timeline that are limited to functions such as pause (freeze-frame), fast-forward, and reverse.
Certain digital media standards, however, provide for expanded capabilities with respect to the sequence and timing of programs. For example, expanded features such as branching, multiple camera angles, parental control, video menus, and interactivity are supported by the DVD-Video standard available from the DVD Forum (www.dvdforum.org). Other digital media standards exist. In general, digital media standards support at least a degree of interactivity and control sufficient to permit control of the sequence and timing of selected media segments or frames during playback. In particular, the DVD-Video standard has become prevalent, and media products that include the expanded features listed above are commonly available based on the DVD-Video standard. Such features, however, do not exhaust the possibilities within the DVD-Video standard or other existing or prospective standards. It is desirable to provide additional features to increase consumer interest in media products such as DVD-Video discs, thereby inducing consumers to purchase such products in greater numbers and at more favorable prices.